The subject invention relates to a new and improved combination bumper and spare tire carrier. More particularly, a new and improved carrier is disclosed which is adapted to be affixed to a tailgate of a vehicle without inhibiting the operation of the tailgate.
In the prior art, a variety of spare tire carriers have been developed, particularly for use with off-road type vehicles such as pickup trucks. Without a carrier, the spare tire is typically stored in the bed of the pickup which reduces the load space of the vehicle. Another problem associated with the latter is storage arrangement is that the spare tire will often be relatively inaccessible when the load area of the truck bed has been filled. Accordingly, various means have been developed for mounting the tire at a location other than the load area of the vehicle.
One type of carrier which has been developed enables a spare tire to be mounted below or underneath the bed of the vehicle. This approach has proved undesirable for a number of reasons. For example, a tire which is mounted below the bed of a vehicle necessarily reduces its road clearance. In addition, in some situations, owners prefer to utilize this area to mount a reserve fuel tank for extending the range of the vehicle.
Thus, carriers have been developed for mounting a spare tire on the rear or tailgate portion of the vehicle. These carriers typically include a bracket which is spaced rearwardly from the tailgate of the vehicle. This approach is necessary to provide clearance for the tire when the tailgate is opened. Stated differently, if the tire was mounted directly onto the tailgate of the vehicle, it would block the motion of the tailgate when it is moved from the vertical closed position to the horizontal open position.
One type of prior art carrier is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,736, issued Sept. 26, 1967 to Sellers. The carrier disclosed in Sellers includes a rearwardly extending bracket pivotally connected to an upstanding carrier bar upon which the tire may be mounted. The bracket and carrier bar define a generally L-shaped configuration. The carrier is designed such that the upstanding bar may be rotated into a horizontal position to enable the tailgate of the vehicle to be opened.
The latter design has a variety of shortcomings. For example, prior to opening the tailgate, the user must independently lower the spare tire into the horizontal position. In the horizontal position, the tire projects outwardly, such that the user must reach over the tire to reach the tailgate. Another more significant problem associated with the latter design is that the upper end of the carrier bar is unsupported. Thus, when subjected to frequent bouncing and jarring typical of off-road terrain, the unsupported upper end of the bar will tend to move and swing, causing stresses to develop in the metal support. This movement will eventually lead to metal fatigue and the breakdown of the part.
Another carrier design which addresses some of the above described problems can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,754, issued June 11, 1968 to Sinkey. The device in Sinkey includes a rearwardly projecting bracket pivotally connected to a pair of upstanding bars upon which the spare tire is mounted. The upper ends of the mounting bars are provided with a pair of hooks which are adjusted to grip the upper free edge of the tailgate of the vehicle. By securing the upper end of the carrier to the tailgate, the problems associated with stresses and metal fatigue generated by vibration can be substantially reduced.
A major shortcoming associated with the structure disclosed in the Sinkey patent is that the carrier must be disengaged from the tailgate when the latter is moved from the closed to the open position. As can be appreciated, since the pivotal connection between the carrier bars and the bracket is spaced away from the hinged connection of the tailgate, the rotational paths traveled by the end of the tailgate and the end of the carrier will be different. Therefore, as the tailgate is moved from the closed to the open position, the hooks of the carrier will become disengaged from the tailgate.
When the tailgate is returned to the vertical closed position, the user must re-establish the connection between the carrier and the tailgate. This connection is re-established by moving the tailgate into an orientation approximately halfway between the open and closed positions. The carrier may then be aligned with the tailgate permitting the combination to be moved back into its initial position. As can be appreciated, the above described procedure, wherein the user must lean over the end of the spare tire to reach the tailgate, raise the tailgate and then align the carrier before closing the tailgate, is both difficult and inconvenient. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a new and improved spare tire carrier which obviates the problems associated with the prior art.
Therefore, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved combination bumper and spare tire carrier which operates automatically with the movement of the tailgate.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved combination bumper and spare tire carrier which does not interfere with the rotation of the tailgate.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved combination bumper and spare tire carrier having a telescoping configuration to permit the upper end of the carrier to remain connected to the tailgate during the rotation of the combination.
It it still another object of the subject invention to provide a carrier having a new and improved configuration such that when a spare tire is mounted thereon, a continuous protective bumper is defined.
It is still a further object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved combination bumper and spare tire carrier which also includes a tow package.